Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for an advance copy. Katherine Center is a great author to pick up if you want a lighthearted story that will leave you feeling happy. The main character, Katie, a video producer, agrees to a job filming a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, in an effort to keep her job, even though she doesn’t know how to swim and has several insecurities and fears around water. Once in the Florida Keys, we meet the most likable and friendly characters, including rescue swimmer Hutch’s Great Dane George Bailey, and his aunt Rue and her friends, a group of “Golden Girls” friends living their best lives. All the characters felt like someone you would want to hang out with, and the romance and humor and storyline were all charming and satisfying.

This was a really sweet love story with a lot of heart and humor. I loved the Great Dane! Its downfall was basing the plot on a lie, which often ruins books for me as I hate lying as a plot device. There was also too much fixation on body image. Still, it was a sweet love story without being graphic.

Love this latest from Katherine Center. Once again she weaves a fun, heartfelt closed door romance to satisfy every reader.

Lighthearted, snappy, and full of charm. Center’s trademark optimism shines, though this felt a bit breezier than her usual emotional weight. Still, the banter and romantic tension were a delight. A fun read for fans of enemies-to-lovers with heart.

I have yet to find a Katherine Center book I don't love. She did it again this time that is for sure. The story was endearing, funny, and even sad at times. Aunt Rue and her friends at the Inn were a true delight as they cheered Katie on and took her in as one of their own. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it had to end. I was left wanting a sequel of Katie and Hutch's entire future!

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and I look forward to their new releases every year. When I read the synopsis of this book, I just knew it was going to be another home run read, but unfortunately it was not that for me. The Love Haters is a good summer read and definitely has a good storyline, but I was disturbed by what I felt was an hyper focus on the FMC’s body dysmorphia in this story. It felt a little forced and awkward. I believe it had a place in the story and I believe wholeheartedly it should have been included, because it was an imperative part of the story, but it was overdone and almost uncomfortable and effected the overall book. I absolutely adored the MMC and would have loved more from him. Katherine Center will remain an automatic read for me and I still cannot wait for their next book!

What a cutie closed door romance! Katie comes to the Keys to film an advertisement video for the Coast guard and gets matched up with hunky Hutch. A carousel of colorful characters round out this story. As always, I learned something new about how the Coast Guard works.

"The Love Haters" by Katherine Center is a brilliant exploration of cynicism versus hope, wrapped in a wonderfully engaging and truly heartwarming story. What struck me most was Center's incredible ability to craft characters who feel so incredibly real – even the "love haters" themselves are imbued with such humanity and relatable backstories that you can't help but empathize with them.

The dialogue is absolutely sparkling, full of Center's trademark wit and delivering some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. Yet, beneath the humor, there's a powerful message about overcoming past hurts and daring to open your heart again. The central romantic pairing is perfectly balanced, with fantastic chemistry and a slow-burn development that is incredibly satisfying.

This book tackles themes of vulnerability, trust, and the various forms love can take, all without ever feeling preachy. "The Love Haters" is a testament to Katherine Center's talent for writing stories that entertain, enlighten, and leave you feeling truly optimistic. A must-read for anyone who appreciates character-driven contemporary fiction with a lot of heart.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

Katherine Center is just next level in Romance. This book was exceptional and that’s coming from someone that doesn’t enjoy much romance. This was good!

5 Things:
1. Key West sunny summer vibes
2. Swoony Coast Guard hero MMC
3. An adorably excited dog
4. Hilarious & unashamed aunt with lots of love to give
5. FMC who heals & grows with the help of some special people in her life.

*Note: This book is about an FMC with body image issues. It is mentioned quite often throughout the story. I felt like it was handled thoughtfully and the author’s notes explain where her heart is with this issue.

Thank you @youhadmeathea for the digital ARC, @macmillan.audio for the ALC & to #talkingtomybookstravelingarc hosted by @bookswithnopictures and @just_talking_to_my_shelf for the traveling ARC.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This was cute, but I wish there was less focus on body image issues and more focus on romance. 3.5 stars rounded up because I did a combination of the digital and audio, and I enjoyed the narration of the audio.

I have never fallen in love with a group of characters so hard nor have I literally laughed out loud in a long time! The writing is witty, smart, quick, and so engaging which made Love Haters such a deliciously fun read! I had the pleasure of getting to see Katherine Center at an author event in Dallas and I could almost hear her narrating as I read which was a super fun bonus for me! Absolutely loved and would recommend!

4.5 stars - this book started a little slow but it really picked up and I got very interested! Cole was a bit annoying and contributed to a lot of miscommunications , but overall nobody does a book quite like KC!

This was so cute, I wanted to stay down in Key West off Duvall Street with the characters, especially Rue. There were a couple of plot points that I found unnecessary and sort of distracting, but the overall story was delightful.
Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC!

The Rom-Commers is a sunshine-drenched escape full of quirky characters, heartfelt moments, and just enough chaos to keep the pages turning. Katherine Center brings her signature blend of humor and heart to this rom-com, with a unique setup that drops our heroine, Katie Vaughn, into a job she’s not quite qualified for—and into the orbit of Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a swoony (if slightly grumpy) Coast Guard rescue swimmer.

There’s a lot to love here: the Key West setting is vibrant and fun, the supporting characters (especially Aunt Rue and the Great Dane!) add charm, and the premise of faking swimming skills while falling for your subject? Wildly entertaining. Hutch has serious book boyfriend potential, and the chemistry between him and Katie definitely delivers.

That said, the pacing felt a little uneven at times. The build-up to the romance was a slow burn, but the payoff felt slightly rushed and tied up too neatly. Katie’s internal journey was compelling, but the tension around her dishonesty lingered just a bit too long for my taste. Still, there’s a satisfying message about bravery and choosing joy that Center fans will appreciate.

Overall, a light and funny read with some heart-tugging moments—and a good pick for fans of forced proximity, sibling tension, and fish-out-of-water tropes.

3⭐️

I think this is the book that has finally cemented Katherine Center as an author that’s just not for me.

While I enjoyed watching Katie fall in love with herself and her body, I felt absolutely zero chemistry between her and the MMC and I think Center’s use of retrospective narration really did the entire book a huge disservice. There was no yearning or tension, and even during the high stakes ending, it never truly felt high stakes because Katie is clearly fine in the end as she’s the one telling us the story. This would have been a 4 or maybe even 5 star book for me if it had been written in present tense. If you’re a Katherine Center fan, then I think you’d probably like this, but definitely check trigger warnings beforehand because there’s a lot talk about body dysmorphia and ED’s.

Absolutely loved this story! Catherine did a lot of research to make this book seamless! Love the twists that were thrown- the aunt- the dog - the storm! Very very good!

Once again Katherine Center delivered a predictably delightful rom-com that felt like every cozy and comfortable feeling I want to feel when I pick up one of her books. I go into it knowing the FMC will overthink herself. The MMC will have insecurities but deep down will be an amazing guy. There will be some conflict but nothing that leaves you broken or stunned. It’s a comfort read and this time was no exception, she nailed it!!

Katie’s self doubt was hard to read. It was similar to what so many women experience at some point of their lives. It did seem to occupy more book space than I would have liked, but then again that’s who she was. I loved that she had a backstory with a famous person who made her feel invalidated just to be completely adored by (I mean seriously perfect) Hutch. Lastly? I adored Rue possibly most of all. Never has a side character felt like as much of a main character as the 2 destined to fall in love.

Sweet story, absolutely worth every second of reading time. My physical copy will live in infamy on my bookshelf with my many other Katherine Center books and will be pulled down and reread in the future when I need a reminder of how sweet and resilient the human spirit can truly be.

I throughly enjoyed The Love Haters — the latest from Katherine Center. I absolutely love Katherine Center and none of her books have disappointed me. In The Love Haters, we meet Katie who has to make a video to profile a Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Hutch. She had to travel down to Key West, Florida. Hutch wasn’t happy that it was her, expecting her boss who happens to be his brother. This was a very lighthearted and slow burn romance read! I giggled throughout the book and couldn’t put it down. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC — all opinions are my own.